Liberties and Mysteries
A normal student would have been in the library to study for their classes, perhaps by reading their textbooks, looking over their notes from previous lessons, or getting extra help from a tutor. Or if they weren't here for academic purposes, they would be reading a riveting book about how one would effectively curse their greatest enemy. Or anything, really. There were many books that could accommodate to whatever anyone would want to read. But for, Saskia, she was here for an entirely different reason.
The Hufflepuff strode in the library, school bag in hand, and a rather grim expression present on her face. Her usually bright hazel eyes were surprisingly dull, and a frown replaced the smile she normally wore. She wasn't feeling anything in particular- she wasn't even angry in the slightest bit. On the contrary, she was completely focused on something. It was a personal goal she needed to complete on her own. Nobody else could know about this, though they probably wouldn’t understand, even if they did know. She didn’t think even she understood what she was doing, or why she was so dead set on this one thing, when she could be focusing on something an ordinary person would worry about instead. She could have even done it at a later date, when she wasn’t occupied with school. But there was one thing she knew- she was going to get to the bottom of whatever this was, no matter what. It was silly, especially coming from a mere eleven year old, but she knew if no one else was going to do this, then she might as well do it for her own sake. It didn’t hurt to start early, either.
Scanning the library, Saskia noticed plenty of people inside. There was some background noise to give the place a vibrant atmosphere, but not enough to make it so it was too loud. It was good for blending in with the crowd, Saskia thought. She would simply appear as another student looking to read a few books and take some studying notes along the way. Even if someone did see what she was doing, they wouldn’t be able to truly know what it was about. It wasn’t very likely for them to ask questions, but if they did, she could just tell them she was doing personal research. It wasn’t a lie, and it would give them enough information for them to back off. If they kept asking questions, then that was when she could tell them to leave her alone.
The girl walked further in the various aisles of books, her gaze flickering at the vast selection the library had to offer. The library was no joke- there were so many books that she couldn’t keep track which shelf was which anymore. But that wasn’t the point. She needed to get this over, preferably quickly enough so she can actually start her research. But she couldn’t afford to rush through this, either. She needed all the information she could get, as limited as it may be, considering the fact that she was in a school library. As much as they had quite the variety of books, she didn’t think they would have exactly what she was looking for. It was still worth a try to take a look anyway.
Wandering through the shelves, Saskia didn’t find anything worthwhile at the moment. She figured it would take a while until she found a shelf with the relevant information, which meant she had to move faster. With that in mind, she continued to look around while she picked up the pace. It took a while, but she reached a shelf with some useful books. Looking at the numerous book titles, she could see a book labelled Unsolved Mysteries in the Wizarding and Muggle World and another one titled Historical Magical Incidents and the Consequences. She smiled for the first time since she came in the library. She was getting somewhere.
Taking out several books from the shelf, Saskia went on to find more books, and eventually, she found herself having a stack of books in her arms. Though whether any of them would be of any use would be something she had to find out for herself later on. But for now, she had to actually find a place to sit. So far, there were enough empty tables to pick from, since the library wasn’t too crowded. Saskia eventually settled on one of the tables farther away from everyone else. She couldn’t afford to be interrupted.
Saskia carried the books all the way to the table and put them on the left side of the wooden surface. The girl pulled out a chair and sat down, reaching in her bag to place her notebook, her quill, and ink on the opposite side of where her books were supposed to be. She made sure to remove the bindings from her notebook first so she could open it and actually write on it. Picking up one of the books from the pile, Saskia flipped through the pages, one hand on the page and the other holding her quill and keeping her notebook steady. Her eyes remained glued on the pages, her quill occasionally moving, though for the most part, she was completely focused. It wouldn’t be very easy for her get distracted.
The Hufflepuff strode in the library, school bag in hand, and a rather grim expression present on her face. Her usually bright hazel eyes were surprisingly dull, and a frown replaced the smile she normally wore. She wasn't feeling anything in particular- she wasn't even angry in the slightest bit. On the contrary, she was completely focused on something. It was a personal goal she needed to complete on her own. Nobody else could know about this, though they probably wouldn’t understand, even if they did know. She didn’t think even she understood what she was doing, or why she was so dead set on this one thing, when she could be focusing on something an ordinary person would worry about instead. She could have even done it at a later date, when she wasn’t occupied with school. But there was one thing she knew- she was going to get to the bottom of whatever this was, no matter what. It was silly, especially coming from a mere eleven year old, but she knew if no one else was going to do this, then she might as well do it for her own sake. It didn’t hurt to start early, either.
Scanning the library, Saskia noticed plenty of people inside. There was some background noise to give the place a vibrant atmosphere, but not enough to make it so it was too loud. It was good for blending in with the crowd, Saskia thought. She would simply appear as another student looking to read a few books and take some studying notes along the way. Even if someone did see what she was doing, they wouldn’t be able to truly know what it was about. It wasn’t very likely for them to ask questions, but if they did, she could just tell them she was doing personal research. It wasn’t a lie, and it would give them enough information for them to back off. If they kept asking questions, then that was when she could tell them to leave her alone.
The girl walked further in the various aisles of books, her gaze flickering at the vast selection the library had to offer. The library was no joke- there were so many books that she couldn’t keep track which shelf was which anymore. But that wasn’t the point. She needed to get this over, preferably quickly enough so she can actually start her research. But she couldn’t afford to rush through this, either. She needed all the information she could get, as limited as it may be, considering the fact that she was in a school library. As much as they had quite the variety of books, she didn’t think they would have exactly what she was looking for. It was still worth a try to take a look anyway.
Wandering through the shelves, Saskia didn’t find anything worthwhile at the moment. She figured it would take a while until she found a shelf with the relevant information, which meant she had to move faster. With that in mind, she continued to look around while she picked up the pace. It took a while, but she reached a shelf with some useful books. Looking at the numerous book titles, she could see a book labelled Unsolved Mysteries in the Wizarding and Muggle World and another one titled Historical Magical Incidents and the Consequences. She smiled for the first time since she came in the library. She was getting somewhere.
Taking out several books from the shelf, Saskia went on to find more books, and eventually, she found herself having a stack of books in her arms. Though whether any of them would be of any use would be something she had to find out for herself later on. But for now, she had to actually find a place to sit. So far, there were enough empty tables to pick from, since the library wasn’t too crowded. Saskia eventually settled on one of the tables farther away from everyone else. She couldn’t afford to be interrupted.
Saskia carried the books all the way to the table and put them on the left side of the wooden surface. The girl pulled out a chair and sat down, reaching in her bag to place her notebook, her quill, and ink on the opposite side of where her books were supposed to be. She made sure to remove the bindings from her notebook first so she could open it and actually write on it. Picking up one of the books from the pile, Saskia flipped through the pages, one hand on the page and the other holding her quill and keeping her notebook steady. Her eyes remained glued on the pages, her quill occasionally moving, though for the most part, she was completely focused. It wouldn’t be very easy for her get distracted.
Reducio
@Marla Quinlan
"Honestas ante honores."
Stam: 9 | Eva: 6 | Str: 7 | Wis: 7 | Arc: 6 | Acc: 8
Abilities: Fearless
Liberties and Mysteries
Today was normal. As normal as a magical school and castle with little mischievous wizards and witches scurrying around it can get, at least. The weather wasn't particularly good, nothing crazy happened, no classes stood out... It was mediocre. A day that she'd forget as soon as the clock struck midnight. Swept away in the sea of a million other more vital things in her mind.
And so, on this very, very plain day, Marla was walking out of History of Magic class and hopped down the stairs to nowhere in mind. After all, it was her last class of the day and was burnt out. What better to blow off some steam than to stroll around the halls? There was always something to do, whether it was to play a game of gobstones, watch students argue, read, and the list goes on. As the redhead roamed the halls, her specks of gold scanned the area for anything that would be remotely interesting, until she laid eyes upon a random piece of paper. Picking it up, chills went down her spine. It was a seemingly old Daily Prophet ad, worn out by age and some type of brown stains, probably coffee or food.
Sorry this is supposed to be the daily prophet but it looks nothing like it wHOOPS so just use your ~imagination~
"Oh my god..." She murmured shakily, a lump forming in her throat as she read further and further. She crumpled up the ad and shoved it into her robe pocket, standing without moving an inch for quite a bit of time. Why was there a missing poster? Her mother died in a car accident. At least, that's what several people told her for years. The redhead let out a whimper as she cupped her hand around her mouth in fear of vomiting. Some students noticed the sickly look on her face and strayed away from her in fear of getting hurled on, and she couldn't blame them. Marla was as pale, if not paler, than a ghost with a green tinge, and her usual eyes that were dripping with mischief were now dull and almost matte seeming. How else was she supposed to feel? What was this piece of paper? Where did it come from? Was this even her mom? There were so many questions to be answered that were mixing together and flooding the girl's mind in frenzied chaos.
In a daze and fit of confusion, Marla ran to the nearest door, pushing aggressively against the poor thing as she desperately made her get away from the mounds of students in the small hall. And as if Hogwarts knew what the girl were thinking, she made her way into the library. This school truly was magical, huh?
With nothing else but her mother on her mind, the redhead made her way throughout different rows of books, running her fingers along the backs of each. She wanted to get her mind off of Aurelia terribly, but how could she? This was her mother. Keyword: her dead mother. Marla could barely process the thoughts going on her head, let alone words printed on a page. And right as Marla thought that nothing else unexpected could happen, she turned the corner and jumped when she spotted a familiar pair of blue eyes skimming a book.
"S-Saskia?" Marla asked in an almost whisper, hoping that the Hufflepuff wouldn't hear her. Between the Gryffindor's sickly complexion and teary eyes, who would want to look at the girl? But as if it were fate, Marla looked down and saw what Saskia was reading. Unsolved Mysteries in the Wizarding and Muggle World, and she was using a quill and paper to write down notes as well. What was the badger up to? Maybe an essay? No... She looked much too determined to be writing an essay. Itching to find out what she was doing and to take her mind off of Aurelia, Marla sat down next to Saskia with an almost artificial smile.
"Uh.. Hey. What're you reading?" She asked, an unsettling feeling creeping onto her back as she grew more and more aware of the cursed piece of paper in her pocket.
"your loss, baby !!"
stamina 10 | evasion 7 | strength 6 | wisdom 7 | arcpower 6 | accuracy 9
stamina 10 | evasion 7 | strength 6 | wisdom 7 | arcpower 6 | accuracy 9
Liberties and Mysteries
Reducio
The cases below are made up, although they are loosely based on some other missing cases in real life to make them a bit more believable. They're probably not realistic looking, but just pretend they are lol.
'Everett Doyle. A 19 year old boy who suddenly disappeared on November 16, 2014. He was allegedly spotted going out for a walk in Royston, Hertfordshire, England. However, he would later be discovered in Watford, Hertfordshire, England in February 11, 2008. Doyle was found in a petrified state, presumably from the Stupefy spell, although his attacker has yet to be found...'
Flip.
'Elbert Warner. A 24 year old potioneer who went missing on March 4, 2009. According to witnesses, he was last seen at his apothecary...'
Another flip.
'Mary Jennings. A 45 year old therapist who was reported missing on August 24, 2005. She was last seen around the St. George area of Bristol, England, and no one has been able to find her since...'
The list went on, and she couldn't find anything that had a strong relation to what she was looking for. But was it really a surprise? She had absolutely no leads on where to start, and while writing down all the possibilities sounded like a good idea in theory, she knew it was pointless once the search actually started. There were too many cases that could have been related, and yet a lot of the others may not have looked like they were, although they still had that very slim chance of helping with her search. It might have been unnecessary, but the girl couldn't take any chances. She needed all the information she could get.
As time went on, she wasn't even sure what she was looking for. She continued to write down notes, but they were degrading in quality as time went on, at least to her. Names, numbers, and stray words filled the pages, and to one person, it might have seemed impressive. But to her, that was all they were. Just random scribbles on a book. If she could find real evidence, which she couldn't afford to do at this time, maybe she'd have a better chance at finding something that wasn't just a scribble.
And then more thoughts spread in her mind. What if all of this was just a stupid idea? She had absolutely nothing that could help her solve the mystery. What information did she even have? A photograph wasn't enough. She needed something more than just a bunch of books from the school library. But how would she even do that? She was just some dumb kid who thought that this search would somehow do something. It could either fix her problems, or fulfill her. Maybe it would have made her useful somehow. She was tired of feeling so restricted. She couldn't even perform magic unless it was related to school. Even the people around her looked down on her for being a Hufflepuff. For once, she wanted to be worth something. Anything.
Saskia heaved a sigh, letting her writing hand rest against the paper as she tried to dispel the chaos that was going on in her mind. In these kinds of situations, it was easy for these thoughts to creep in her mind. The more she tried to think, the more doubt she felt. It was a double-edged blade, and it was why she tried not to think too much about her actions on a daily basis. If she did something, there wasn't much else she could do about it. Any regrets would only continue to torment her and bring her down. She couldn't have that.
The girl picked her quill up and started writing again. She needed to start looking into the other books, but she wanted to finish looking through the first book before that. There could have still been something in that book, and she didn't want to lose anything just because she wanted to rush things.
But before she could do anything else, a vaguely familiar voice came from beside her. "Uh.. Hey. What're you reading?"
Saskia froze. She hadn't lifted her quill from the page, and if she stayed like this long enough, the ink would have probably blotted on the paper. But that wasn't her concern. What she was worried about was how someone discovered her and specifically asked what she was reading. It didn't seem harmless, but the way the question was phrased, it seemed this person was deliberately probing for information, as opposed to casually asking her what she was doing.
Saskia didn't expect this to happen so soon. In fact, she didn't think it would happen at all. There might have been some annoying kids who occasionally visit the library to cause trouble, but they wouldn't have bothered to pester the random girl who was isolated from everyone else and supposedly studying. They'd have to be either bored or crazy to do that. Regardless, this was a much more different situation. Whoever it was that talked to her even sat down next to her. It was a sure fact that this person knew what she was doing and wanted to know more.
If Saskia's hearing was right, the person talking to her was Marla Quinlan. The pretty redhead girl she first met in the corridors along with Shannon, the Hufflepuff. She was nice, and under other circumstances, she would be happy to see her. But if she was being honest, she came at a very wrong time. Saskia wasn't in the mood to be her usual energetic self, and even if she tried, it might have sounded fake to anyone who was paying enough attention. Yet somehow, she knew something was wrong. There was something off about the other girl's tone. It was different from how she remembered last time she talked to her. She sounded more subdued. Did something happen to her?
Still, Marla asked a question, and that meant she had to give an answer. It was the polite thing to do, and if she didn't answer, it would have only made her sound more suspicious. "I'm reading on some missing cases. It's for research," she responded, her tone remaining as neutral as she could.
Despite the girl trying to keep her temper in check, she could already feel the anger build in her. Perhaps it was from the lack of progress she had from her search, her negative thoughts bombarding her, and maybe the fact that someone interrupted her investigation with a possibly intrusive question. The few things that were preventing her from yelling was the fact that she was in a library, and that she didn't want to scare off one of the few people she could have called a friend.
Pursing her lips, Saskia took her eyes away from the desk and finally faced the girl beside her. But as soon as she got a glimpse of her face, her gaze slightly softened. Marla looked like a mess- she was extremely pale, and her eyes were bleary. Had she been crying? Saskia wasn't the best with these kinds of emotions, especially now that she was going through some intense emotions herself, but she didn't want to see her friend be sad either. She wanted to help her, but she didn't know how.
A moment passed, and Saskia was still unsure of what to say. She knew there was something wrong, but could she really expect the girl to trust her enough to answer when she couldn't bring herself to do the same? It was hypocritical, and the Hufflepuff wouldn't have blamed her if she didn't want to answer. But it was worth a shot.
"If you don't mind me asking, is everything alright?" She asked, her voice still calm, but much more quiet than before.
"Honestas ante honores."
Stam: 9 | Eva: 6 | Str: 7 | Wis: 7 | Arc: 6 | Acc: 8
Abilities: Fearless
Liberties and Mysteries
[quote]This was a bad idea. Marla kept on telling herself that over, and over again. She shouldn't have picked up that paper on the ground. She shouldn't have panicked like that in front of everyone. And she shouldn't, really shouldn't approach Saskia right now. But here she was, standing in front of the occupied Hufflepuff, biting back the screams that desperately wanted to be released from her lungs. An artificial display of cheerfulness plagued her face, giving Saskia a smile. And while it was rather believable, her eyes said otherwise. They were desperate. Calling out to whoever, whatever was there. But for what? Even Marla was unsure. What did she want?
And that's when it hit her. She couldn't breathe. Clutching a hand to her chest as if her life depended on it, Marla began to try to catch her breath to no avail. Instead, she decided to cover it up with a bit of light coughing, turning her face away from view as she rubbed her eyes, the residue of tears making their way onto her palms. Was her mom out there somewhere? The thought made her throat feel like it was closing. She let out a small cough, before turning back to Saskia when she heard her voice, probably directed at Marla. Though the lion was too absorbed in her own thoughts to be listening, so she just let out a hoarse laugh with a nod. She placed her fists lightly on the table, recoiling when she noticed that they were clenched so tight that they were white. Marla unclenched them, wiping her hands dry on her clothes and staring at the book that Saskia was going through. "I'm good, thanks for asking." She mumbled in response, sure that the badger had said something like how she was doing... If not, Marla might just curl up and die of embarrassment.
Finally mustering up enough courage to take a glance at Saskia, it didn't help that she seemed quite peeved herself. Last time they had met in the corridors, her vibrant blue eyes danced with a sort of zeal and happiness that was nowhere to be found. Instead, they were almost resembling a deep, deep vengeful ocean. The glare in her eyes began to chip at the little sanity she had left. Was she really a burden to Saskia? Was that why– why her mom left? Or was she kidnapped? All these thoughts at once were stabbing her in the head like daggers, causing her normally vibrant red hair to become a dull copper brown, and much thinner. Her eyes appeared more sunken in as if she hadn't gotten sleep in months. Taking one more peek at the Hufflepuff's face, she seemed more worn out than... Angry now, and was staring at Marla. She furrowed her brows, was Saskia pitying her? "What?" She simply asked, a bit of umbrage laced loosely in her words. She stayed silent for a while, before asking if Marla was okay.
"I–" She faltered for a second, turning away. If she stared at that girl for one more second, she'd either start hysterically crying or screaming. In either situation, there would be a lot of book-throwing and tearing. Which would be a shame, because Marla adored books. But for a minute, she began to take Saskia's question into account. Was Marla Quinlan okay? Certainly not. In fact, Miss Quinlan was many, many things, for instance, dizzy, nauseous, and devasted, but she wasn't okay. The burning of bile became apparent as she vomited in her mouth a bit, cupping her hand over her face again. Thankfully, nothing came out, but it was a close call.
"I'm fine. Why do you ask? What does it matter?" Marla rambled, realizing that she sounded like a psychopath. Her face flushed a bright shade of pink, looking at Saskia for a bit of reassurance, too prideful to actually apologize at that moment in time. In fact, she was furious. Why hadn't her grandparents told her about Aurelia? Or the wizarding world in the first place? In fact, why the hell was she cursed with them as a family? Without realizing it, tears had made their way down Marla's cheeks. She let out a small gasp of mortification and wiped them away hastily, leaning over to Saskia's book once more. "The real question is if you're okay. You look quite troubled." She exclaimed, in an attempt to change the subject.
And that's when it hit her. She couldn't breathe. Clutching a hand to her chest as if her life depended on it, Marla began to try to catch her breath to no avail. Instead, she decided to cover it up with a bit of light coughing, turning her face away from view as she rubbed her eyes, the residue of tears making their way onto her palms. Was her mom out there somewhere? The thought made her throat feel like it was closing. She let out a small cough, before turning back to Saskia when she heard her voice, probably directed at Marla. Though the lion was too absorbed in her own thoughts to be listening, so she just let out a hoarse laugh with a nod. She placed her fists lightly on the table, recoiling when she noticed that they were clenched so tight that they were white. Marla unclenched them, wiping her hands dry on her clothes and staring at the book that Saskia was going through. "I'm good, thanks for asking." She mumbled in response, sure that the badger had said something like how she was doing... If not, Marla might just curl up and die of embarrassment.
Finally mustering up enough courage to take a glance at Saskia, it didn't help that she seemed quite peeved herself. Last time they had met in the corridors, her vibrant blue eyes danced with a sort of zeal and happiness that was nowhere to be found. Instead, they were almost resembling a deep, deep vengeful ocean. The glare in her eyes began to chip at the little sanity she had left. Was she really a burden to Saskia? Was that why– why her mom left? Or was she kidnapped? All these thoughts at once were stabbing her in the head like daggers, causing her normally vibrant red hair to become a dull copper brown, and much thinner. Her eyes appeared more sunken in as if she hadn't gotten sleep in months. Taking one more peek at the Hufflepuff's face, she seemed more worn out than... Angry now, and was staring at Marla. She furrowed her brows, was Saskia pitying her? "What?" She simply asked, a bit of umbrage laced loosely in her words. She stayed silent for a while, before asking if Marla was okay.
"I–" She faltered for a second, turning away. If she stared at that girl for one more second, she'd either start hysterically crying or screaming. In either situation, there would be a lot of book-throwing and tearing. Which would be a shame, because Marla adored books. But for a minute, she began to take Saskia's question into account. Was Marla Quinlan okay? Certainly not. In fact, Miss Quinlan was many, many things, for instance, dizzy, nauseous, and devasted, but she wasn't okay. The burning of bile became apparent as she vomited in her mouth a bit, cupping her hand over her face again. Thankfully, nothing came out, but it was a close call.
"I'm fine. Why do you ask? What does it matter?" Marla rambled, realizing that she sounded like a psychopath. Her face flushed a bright shade of pink, looking at Saskia for a bit of reassurance, too prideful to actually apologize at that moment in time. In fact, she was furious. Why hadn't her grandparents told her about Aurelia? Or the wizarding world in the first place? In fact, why the hell was she cursed with them as a family? Without realizing it, tears had made their way down Marla's cheeks. She let out a small gasp of mortification and wiped them away hastily, leaning over to Saskia's book once more. "The real question is if you're okay. You look quite troubled." She exclaimed, in an attempt to change the subject.
"your loss, baby !!"
stamina 10 | evasion 7 | strength 6 | wisdom 7 | arcpower 6 | accuracy 9
stamina 10 | evasion 7 | strength 6 | wisdom 7 | arcpower 6 | accuracy 9
Liberties and Mysteries
The moment Saskia asked that question, she immediately regretted it. Of course this girl wasn't fine. It was obvious she needed help, and it wouldn't have taken a genius to figure that out. But while reaching out to the girl and asking if she was alright was the right thing to do, it wasn't exactly the best option in a situation like this. Predictably enough, the Gryffindor reacted poorly to her question. The indignant tone in her voice, her reddened face, and her tears said it all. Maybe that last part wasn't a direct response to the question, but it only further cemented the fact that this girl was not okay at all.
Either way, Saskia didn't blame her for lashing out at her. Was it really any of her business to know what was bothering her? It wasn't like they were close friends or anything. And even if they were, maybe this was something extremely personal to her. Or perhaps the thought of someone pitying her was enough to send her in a rage. The Hufflepuff definitely knew what that felt like. And now that she thought about it, she felt even more bad about what she did. If someone did the same thing to her, she would have definitely lashed out in some way. It always felt so insulting- almost like they were looking down on her for not being able to help herself. And whatever Marla was dealing with, she could find a way around it.
"Right. Sorry for asking," the girl simply mumbled, her expression hardening as she glanced back at the pages of the book, her grip tightening on her quill. In hindsight, what she said might have come across as pathetic. Maybe if she wasn't already so invested in her current research, she would have tried a little harder to reach out to the redhead. But right now, her mind was scrambled between her investigation and the girl sitting next to her. Dammit. At this rate, she wouldn't get anything done.
Regardless, Saskia didn't see any other reason to continue talking to the girl. What else could they possibly talk about? The entire conversation was tense right from the start and there was no way Saskia could explain what she was doing right now. It was complicated enough as it was. Could even she even trust Marla enough to tell her about it? She must have already gotten more than a few hints of what she could have been searching about, but that should have been enough to satiate her curiosity. To her and any other outsiders, it was research about missing people. An absurd topic to look up on, but it couldn't have been too suspicious, right? It could have been easily passed as some desire to learn something new. It couldn't have hurt to know about a bit of history in the wizarding world, after all.
Not surprisingly, Marla asked her the very same question Saskia had asked her before. The brown-haired girl frowned to herself, although her eyes still rested on the pages as if she was searching for the answers on the pages themselves. Of course she was fine. Why wouldn't she be? All she was doing was research, and the topic certainly wasn't bothering. It might have been something she desperately wanted to solve, but it didn't trouble her at all. If anything, the fact that someone even managed to find her in her private space might have irked her, but other than that, she was fine.
"I'm okay. Thanks for asking," she replied monotonously, her eyes flickering back at Marla for a fleeting second before turning back to the table in front of her. "I just needed to focus," she added, closing her eyes as if that would have given her the concentration she needed. But perhaps that was what she really needed to do right now. Reading through all those pages might have been taking a toll on her mind. Any more reading and she would have gotten a headache. She needed a break, even if it was only for a few seconds.
Still, closing her eyes wasn't going to solve her problems. Marla was still sitting next to her for whatever reason she had, and there was still a lot of work left to do. Although Saskia did have to wonder- why was she still here? She could have easily picked out a quiet place to vent out whatever frustrations she had, and of all the places she had to go to, it was next to the Hufflepuff. If she wasn't willing to answer her previous question, she at least needed to know the answer to this one if she was going to stay here. Or if she was about to leave anyway, that would have been fine too. "Did you need anything else?" she inquired cautiously, her eyes trained on the redhead with an unreadable expression.
Either way, Saskia didn't blame her for lashing out at her. Was it really any of her business to know what was bothering her? It wasn't like they were close friends or anything. And even if they were, maybe this was something extremely personal to her. Or perhaps the thought of someone pitying her was enough to send her in a rage. The Hufflepuff definitely knew what that felt like. And now that she thought about it, she felt even more bad about what she did. If someone did the same thing to her, she would have definitely lashed out in some way. It always felt so insulting- almost like they were looking down on her for not being able to help herself. And whatever Marla was dealing with, she could find a way around it.
"Right. Sorry for asking," the girl simply mumbled, her expression hardening as she glanced back at the pages of the book, her grip tightening on her quill. In hindsight, what she said might have come across as pathetic. Maybe if she wasn't already so invested in her current research, she would have tried a little harder to reach out to the redhead. But right now, her mind was scrambled between her investigation and the girl sitting next to her. Dammit. At this rate, she wouldn't get anything done.
Regardless, Saskia didn't see any other reason to continue talking to the girl. What else could they possibly talk about? The entire conversation was tense right from the start and there was no way Saskia could explain what she was doing right now. It was complicated enough as it was. Could even she even trust Marla enough to tell her about it? She must have already gotten more than a few hints of what she could have been searching about, but that should have been enough to satiate her curiosity. To her and any other outsiders, it was research about missing people. An absurd topic to look up on, but it couldn't have been too suspicious, right? It could have been easily passed as some desire to learn something new. It couldn't have hurt to know about a bit of history in the wizarding world, after all.
Not surprisingly, Marla asked her the very same question Saskia had asked her before. The brown-haired girl frowned to herself, although her eyes still rested on the pages as if she was searching for the answers on the pages themselves. Of course she was fine. Why wouldn't she be? All she was doing was research, and the topic certainly wasn't bothering. It might have been something she desperately wanted to solve, but it didn't trouble her at all. If anything, the fact that someone even managed to find her in her private space might have irked her, but other than that, she was fine.
"I'm okay. Thanks for asking," she replied monotonously, her eyes flickering back at Marla for a fleeting second before turning back to the table in front of her. "I just needed to focus," she added, closing her eyes as if that would have given her the concentration she needed. But perhaps that was what she really needed to do right now. Reading through all those pages might have been taking a toll on her mind. Any more reading and she would have gotten a headache. She needed a break, even if it was only for a few seconds.
Still, closing her eyes wasn't going to solve her problems. Marla was still sitting next to her for whatever reason she had, and there was still a lot of work left to do. Although Saskia did have to wonder- why was she still here? She could have easily picked out a quiet place to vent out whatever frustrations she had, and of all the places she had to go to, it was next to the Hufflepuff. If she wasn't willing to answer her previous question, she at least needed to know the answer to this one if she was going to stay here. Or if she was about to leave anyway, that would have been fine too. "Did you need anything else?" she inquired cautiously, her eyes trained on the redhead with an unreadable expression.
"Honestas ante honores."
Stam: 9 | Eva: 6 | Str: 7 | Wis: 7 | Arc: 6 | Acc: 8
Abilities: Fearless